Composition of matter and method of making the same



Oct. 31, 1939. c. H. wu s -COMPOSITION OF MATTER AND METHCD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Aug. 9, 1938 11v VENTOR fiZ /QOLD WLL @atented it? 33. i3

areas oats coimosiriori or MATTER. also won or a zone sham illhiid iiaroid Wills, Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich, assignor to Chrysler Corporation, Higd Park, Mich, a corporation of Delaware,

Application August 9, 1938, Serial No. 223,906

s Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in articles of the class which are formed by compression of powdered or finely divided materials and to the method of making the same.

More particularly, the invention relates to the provision of improvements in articles comprising compressed and sintered powdered metal structures.

One of the main objects of the invention is the provision of an improved lubricating agent in the mass of powdered or finely divided materials from which articles of this kind are formed by compression which facilitates movements of the particles with respect to each other during the compression operation and which remains in the finished product in such -a state that it enhances the frictional characteristics thereof.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a lubricant of this character which, though comprising only a relatively small proportion of the mass of powdered materials from which compressed articles are formed, serves as a vehicle to promote the flowing-like action of the particles during the compression thereof to a desired shape; to provide a mixture of powdered materials which under compression become so relatively oriented with respect to each other as to facilitate the attainment of uniform density and strength throughout articles of substantially large sizes.

Other objects of the invention are to provide improved porous bearing structures which are of substantially uniform strength and density throughout their entirety; to provide structures of this. character which have an evenly distributed porosity and capacity for absorbing liquid lubricant; to provide an improved dry lubricating agent in porous metal bearing structures, to facilitate the flowing of particles of finely divided metal relative to each other, to lubricate the surfaces of 'the parts of the diein which compression takes place and which remains in the finished bearing as a dry lubricating agent; to provide bearings of this character which have constant friction characteristics under a substantially wide range of loads above a predetermined load; to provide a dry lubricating material of this kind from which may be conveniently eliminated at relatively little costsubstantially all of the foreign matter that has a detrimental effect .on the finished bearing structure; and to provide a dry lubricant in structures of this kind which will accomplish the foregoing resultswhen present in exceedingly small the metal-to-metal contact between the particles of the structure.

Furtherobjects of the invention are the provision of a dry lubricating material in structures formed from compressed and sintered particles structural strength, uniformity and bearing properties are obtainable.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a substantially silica-free expanded and exfoliated mica-like material which is obtainable from inexpensive raw materials without costly preparation and to provide a dry lubricant of this kind in articles formed from compressed powdered materials which is compatible with a large variety of such materials, particularly powdered metals.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view representing a piece of vermiculite in the condition in which it is found as a mineral.

Fig.2 is a diagrammatic perspective View showing the condition of the piece of vermiculite illustrated in Fig. 1, after the raw mineral hasbeen expanded and exfloliated by heat treatment. I

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section, representing a structure, such as a bearing, formed from compressed, finely divided materials and embodying the invention.

In the manufacture of compressed articles from finely divided or powdered materials, particularly from powdered metals, there have been encountered numerous problems arising from the tendency of the particles of powdered materials to resist movement relative to each other during the compressing operation. In many instances, this characteristic of the particles of powdered materials results in greater compacting of the materials adjacent the opposite-end\portions of the article on which the compressing pressure is applied than throughoutthe' zone intermediate these end portions. "The resulting variation in density at diverse portions of the article is ac-I companied by a corresponding variation in strength and other physical characteristics. The

foregoing conditionsare exceptionally undesirable in porous'metal bearing structures formed from powdered metals.

I i required ,to gbe presentin such largeproportions:

I I f I 'dered fm'aterialsduring compression thereof to a I I 'I I jbridue'tte of desired shape. I The product result I I ping from the following treatmentioi: vermiculite F also servesasia dry lubricant in the finishediprod-I f i I I not in bringing the frictional properties thereof "toad'eslredcondition;

' i i that they seidously unfavorably affected the struc tural Stl'enggl, i' anti-friction and wear-resisting: properties qf the resulting articles- In other ease s, where thecompressed powderedmaterial I I issubjected to a sintering 'operatiom the solid I I f ilubricantsheretofore used underwent change'sat I shrinkage, which weakened or otherwise detri- 'I; mentallya'ffected the finished article. In sub I stantially all instances, the solid lubricants heretoforc usedinmixturcs of powdered materials for I the foregoing purposes containedundesirableim- I purities; and foreign matter whichcould not con-I -veniently beIremovecL I I I g I I have foundthata mineral, known as vermicu- I 1ite, when exfoliated and reducedtoa powdered I form provides a I highly satisfactory agent for; I facilitating relative, movement of particles of pow-I the sintering temperature, such as expansion or vermiculite is, as illustrated in: if a 1am i i I i j chemically combined moisture; T I'Whenthis min:- I I I I j eral is suddenly heated: to a relatively high tem I peraturje, from 1800" g F. to 2,000i R, for example;

the chemically combined moisture is removed;

and the; mineral itself is expanded: to exfoli i ated state of fragile cellular form, ,asillustrated Yin; Fig. 2.; Exfoliatedl vermiculite may be readily reduced to a very vfinely divided powder in a i I nated crystalline I structure of a mica-like nature which contains Sllb'stiafl ally flbni 7% 130 9%; Of f hammer millor other suitable apparatus. The resulting powdered productmay be freed from silica and other undesirable contents by a flotation separationprocess during which the exfoliated vermiculite floats on the' surface of a water or other suitable liquid bath and the impurities settle out in the bath. The individual particles of the resulting powdered exfoliated vermiculite, though of very small dimensions, remain in a flake-like condition and when mixed with the powdered materials provide loose slip plates.

Subsequent heat treatment of such particles to,

or substantially beyond, the temperature of the exfoliating heat treatment produces no appreciable change in the size or properties of the particles. These flake-like, minute particles of exfoliated vermiculite, though present in arm:- ture of powdered materials in only a relatively small proportion, effectively serve as a vehicle to accommodate flow-like shifting of theparticles of powdered material during compression thereof to desired shapes. The shifting movement of the particles of powdered materials dur- V ing compression thereof results in the attainment of uniform density throughout the resulting product, uniform porosity when a porous structure is being formed and uniform structural properties. I

While the improved flow-promoting and dry lubricating agent'resulting from the foregoing treatment of vermiculite may be advantageously employed in the manufacture of articles from I I Previous attempts to provide in the mixtures I' j g ofpowdered materials from which articles are I;

I I 'jformed bycompression alone, or bycompression 1 I-and a subsequent sintering operation have in-' volved the use of powdered materialswhieh have, i a detrimental; effect upon the final-product. In

some cases,,thesolid lubricating agentsused were gflllio orinorganic powdered material. f I I I l I The foregoing mixtures ofpowdered materials arecompressed insuitabled estogadcslred shape j I' g 30' i I ,dies and sintered, preferably ina :non o ridizing I I oz-reducing atmosphere; The sintering temperg ature employed variesIin accordance with} the Q =me1ting point or: powdered: metals, a, temperature 'f of substantial y 15,50? F. being; suitable f r the 7 mixture: of powdered, copper and tin and a; tem -I I peratur e of 1900? F. being suitable for a mixture and the; resulting ibriquette is removed from the:

containing powdered copper and powdered} iron.

I Bearing structures: formed: in the: "foregoing i I manner may be: impregnated with; lubricant by,

Ihile Iho't ina'suitable foil ,or' I g n is found that; metal I I v I structures made frompowdered metal either for other lubricant bath.

bearing or other purposes are uniform in density, strength and other physical properties when relatively small percentages of vermiculite are present. Exfoliated vermiculite is light in weight and may be employed in various quantities den1 merous diifcrent types of powdered materials. I I i structures such as; bearings of which Fig. 3 is an illustrations ""i, ii,

Q IJST q p f l c brw sht *Ironf I 7 73'15 nxrouatea; vermiculite: ...I I -'I- -I-;- -j- I I -2 I I'Percentby'welght Exfoliated vermiculite i 5 I i ers: I

g I l I The filler -may i csmprise; Iboiici acid, i steam: i I I -acid,; calcium stearate, i s li i o m a f l I i pending upon the purpose for which the final product is intended, it being preferable, particularly in bearing structures, to use from onefourth to one per cent by weight thereof. The dry lubricating properties of vermiculite and the effect thereof in the manufacture of porous metal bearing structures causes the latter to have friction characteristics which depart materially from the corresponding characteristics of, porous bearing metals in which vermiculite is not employed, for example, the frictionalresistance offeted by bearings made in accordance with the invention rapidly increases to a maximum under increasing loads and thereafter remains constant at its maximum value as the load is further increased. When graphite, for example, is

; employed in porous metal bearing structures, the

friction increases proportionally, substantially in a straight line function as the load increases.

Inthe preparation of vermiculite and the conversion thereof to exfoliated form, it is preferably heated to a'temperature slightly above the slntering' temperature to which it will be sub lected in sintering powdered metal containing articles.

Although but several speciilcembodiments of the invention are herein set forth, it will be unu derstood that various changes and modifications in the illustrated application may be eifected without departing from the spirit of the invention. What I claim is:

1. An article comprising a compressed and cles of vermiculite from which chemically com' binedmoisture has been-removed by heat treatment.

2. Porous bearing metal comprising a compressed and sintered mass of powdered metal, and a dry lubricant distributed throughout said mass comprising finely divided particles of expended substantially anhydrous vermiculite from which chemically combined moisture has been suddenly removed by heat treatment at a temperature above the sintering temperature of said mass.

3. Porous bearing metal comprising a compressed and sintered mass of powdered metal. and a dry lubricant distributed throughout said mass comprising finely divided particlesof exfoliated vermiculite.

4. A composition for the manufacture of compressed and sintered powdered metal comprising articles including a mixture of powdered metal,

and finely divided particles of exfoliated vermiculite distributed throughout said powdered metal and providing loose slip plates for accommodating flow-like orientation of 0 said metal particules during compression thereof.

5. A composition for the manufacture of compressed and sintered powdered metal comprising articles including a mixture of at least two metals having diflerent melting points, the powdered metal of lower melting point constituting the minor portion by weight of said mixture and the powdered metal of higher melting point constituting the major portion by weight of said mixture and a comparatively small amount of dry lubricant comprising finely divided particles of vermiculite which has been exfoliated at a temperature above 'the sintering temperature of said metals.

6. The method of forming an article of manufacture which comprises mixing together pow dered metal particles and a dry lubricant comprising finely divided particles of exfoliated vermiculite which has been heat treated to a term perature above the sintering temperature of said powdered metal, compressing said mixture to a briquette of desired shape while said lubricant accommodates shifting of said metal particles. and sintering said briquette.

7. The" method of forming from powdered metals having different melting points a compressed and sintered article of manufacture which comprises heating a charge of vermiculite to an expanded and exfoliated substantially anhydrous state by subjecting said vermiculite to heat treatment at a temperature substantially as high as the sintering temperature of said metals, reducing said exfoliated vermiculite to a powdered state, mixing the resulting powdered exfoliated vermiculite with powdered metals' having diiierent melting points, compressing said mixture to a briquette of a desired shape, and

sintering said briquette in a non-oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature between the melting points of said powdered metals.

8. An improved mixture for forming porous metal articles comprising a mixture oi. powdered metals of diflerent melting points, the powdered metal of lower melting point constituting the minor proportion by weight of said mixture and the powdered metal of higher melting point constituting the major' portion by weight of said mixture, and a relatively small amount of solid lubricant comprising exfoliated mica.

chm: HAROLD wins. 

